Suikoden IV: Female Lead
by Trust None
Summary: Basically my thoughts of how the female would have been raised, and acted. It starts just after Snowe is taken on the crew. Spoilers and Slight crossover with Suikoden V. First story on fanfiction
1. Chapter 1

Sakura stood watching as the lifeboat floated away from her grand ship. A friend was leaving her once again, despite asking him to stay. He was her brother in arms and in childhood. Never had she felt more at peace with another person before, not even Glen. Then came the rune of punishment, war, and death. And somewhere between all of that, she realized how much she missed him. But now he viewed her as a traitor, a spat in society. Even now she didn't understand where all his anger came from. All she wanted was to calm his storm, but she knew that it wouldn't happen with him like this. No matter what she told him, his mind was made up. The one thing she refused to tell him was of her near death. That one day she might just keel over and this curse pass on to another innocent person to be damned. She already knew that her crew understood this. But she was very careful about it now; she rarely used the rune unless it was a dire emergency. But even then, she feared the worst.

He awoke to the creaking sound of a ship's hull. Turning to his right and left he saw that it was a med ward he was in. A soft but stern voice caused him to push himself up and pull back a curtain. The talking stopped and there before him was the owner of the voice.

"Snowe…"

Sakura. He didn't voice out her name, for fear of running at her sword drawn. Her eyes discussed him, so calm and inviting…Don't look directly in them! You will be taken in again!

Then a light grasp on his one shoulder caused him to look up. She encircled her arms around him, warming his body. "Thank the gods…you weren't moving…"

Her arms were tense and stiffer. Did she get stronger? Sure it had been a long time since he last saw her, even then she seemed normally built.

Yet he wanted to get out of this position, and she left him before he could retort.

"Dr. Yue, Carrie, I will be sending down food for you in a moment. Please find some clothes for Snowe and get him to the baths."

A captain's voice she had. He heard it briefly when the pirates attacked their transport. With one last look at him she spoke eloquently, "When you are ready, tell Sigurd and Hervey to take you upstairs. That's these two." She pointed towards the two men in the doorway. He recognized them from his chance meeting with her at Pirate's Cove.

Then turning towards the door she walked passed them to the left, "I have to speak with Elenor."

Truly her flag ship was the grandest ship he had ever seen. He had heard that Obel makes fine ships, but this was beyond proving a point. Snowe was clean, dressed, and fed, and now was led all throughout the ship from the ground up. Seven levels of crew, it was a pure dream boat!

Finally at the top, the pirates took him out onto the deck. Outside were some of the crew, and then he noticed a familiar group near Sakura. It was Tal, Kenneth, Paula, and Jewel. He hadn't seen them all together since that day they fought of the pirate attack and when Sakura was exiled.

Then his eyes turned toward Sakura. She was dressed differently then before in the med bay. A long black coat that had no sleeves, but from the shirt underneath made the illusion of sleeves. The colors were a brown-black, red, yellow, and silver buttons. Tied around her waist were twin blades he had never seen her use before. The he saw a young red haired boy standing next to her. He followed the two until Sigurd stopped halfway back to let Hervey go forward.

"Well here he is Captain."

She looked at Snowe with a calmness, but the others had a sort of worry. He swallowed a lump in his throat.

"How do you feel Snowe?" He watched her approach with ease and grace. When did she grow strong?

"…I'm fine."

"You don't look it."

"How would you know?"

He felt a two fingers lift his gaze towards hers, "For starters, you never look a person in the eye when you are stressed."

Damn it, she knew him too well!

She smiled and patted his shoulder, then turned around to walk towards the rail. "Snowe, do you understand what it is we fight for?"

"Pardon?"

She turned to face him while resting on the railing, "We as in this crew."

"Is it not yours?"

"No." Her answer surprised him. "Everyone joined of their free will for a common goal. Each still reside in their groups whether it be Kika's Band, Helmut's group…"

"Helmut!"

"…Obel's defenses, Na-Nal residents, Nay Kaboyds, mercenaries, or just people that wish to help. Each have other calling after this is over."

"B-but they follow you?"

"True, because I gained this authority. So far everyone doesn't mind my position and I will freely comply to anyone who wishes to do better."

He gaped at her, she wasn't the same Sakura he knew. No, she was an ideal.

Sakura turned towards the red head and raised her hand, "May I Ted?"

Ted nodded while taking out the sword he held. Snowe didn't have to look twice to know it was his.

"The blacksmith cleaned it well."

She pulled it from its sheath to let the light catch. She then turned the blade to Snowe.

"Any words in your defense? Snowe Vingerhut, former noble of Razil?"

When she said that, his heart stopped. Her eyes showed pure determination. A fierce look that he only dreamed to have. Defense? What defense could he say.

"….I have nothing to say. Do what you will to me."

He caught the look in his "friend's" eyes. Then looked directly into Sakura's. This was the first time he ever really looked into her eyes. He remembered hearing some of the other trainees why a "lovely girl" like Sakura would join. He never viewed her as "lovely" just as Sakura, the knight and friend. But when he looked into her eyes just then, he clearly saw Sakura, the woman.

Sakura breathed out and sheathed the blade, "Then Snowe, I offer you a place in our ranks."

He gaped at her.

"You said it yourself, you have nothing." She then held out his sword in front of him, "Therefore, you have nothing to lose."

A smile formed in her mouth. He took the sword.


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura felt the pain of a thousand swords through her body. She was left with not other choice but to use the rune. Sure there was pain before, but nothing like this. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the railing. Fearing the worst, she jumped. After a while the pain stopped and the calming sea cooled her body.

Pushing herself up to the surface she noticed some of her mermaid crew come up from behind to help her. Gasping for breath she heard the clank of a rope ladder hit the side of the ship. She asked the mermaids to go first for they were faster. Then she slowly scaled the side of the boat. Once at the top she collapsed to her knees, "Too close…"

Snowe was perplexed when he saw that incident. Yes he had seen Sakura's power before, but he didn't know that was how she reacted to the power. He consulted the others about this.

"Well, Sakura didn't want us to tell you…"

"Please Tal. I want to know."

Jewel picked up, "You know already that True Runes are the most powerful runes right?"

"Yes."

"But they come at a price." Paula stated while playing with her food.

"Price?"

"True runes take away the host's life." Kenneth stated while looking at Snowe in the eye.

Snowe dropped his fork, "Wh…"

"It's true!" Chiepoo came up from behind after finishing his meal and stood in front of the group. "We heard this from King Lino. His own wife died from using it!"

"Along with Rikie's husband."

"How do you know that?"

Tal put down his fork, "Sakura told us that sometimes when she uses the rune, memories of its previous owners are shown in her mind."

Snowe suddenly lost his appetite and stood up to take the plate back to Funghi with a muffled thanks. He then walked up stairs towards Sakura's room.

He noticed the confessional box a while ago and wrote his thanks for Sakura letting him join. Now he wrote about what he just learned:

Sakura,

The others just told be about your rune. I assume you've gotten as much pity as you can handle…But I apologize for my actions. I foolishly believed you took this power from Glen…Only to now realize it is a curse. I can't tell you how many times I am sorry in this note…As I told you before, do what you will to me.

Snowe.

Sakura looked at his note in her room. She smiled only to cry. A knock on her door caused her to hide the note and go answer.

"Yes?"

When she fully opened the door she saw it was Flare, "Yes Pr-"

"Captain, it's Flare."

"Princess, it's Sakura."

They laughed at the little joke but then Flare's face went serious. "Elenor wants us to go to the meeting spot."

Sakura knew what it meant, they were near Fort El-Eal.

Snowe reeled in thought as he walked around the ship after the meeting. This was a suicide mission, and Sakura knew it. Even Elenor told them all, Sakura might not come back alive. Snowe paused at the stairs near Sakura's room, he was coming from the bar when he saw her talking to Millay, Gretchen, and Helga. After they left her, he gained some courage to raise his voice, "Sakura."

She turned to see him, before she could speak he raised a hand. "I told you before, I have nothing. Use me which ever way you see fit in this battle."

Just as he turned to leave, he felt a gentle grip on his wrist. Turning he saw Sakura standing with a small glint in her eyes. It wasn't pride, it was fear. He saw this many times when they were children. Hard to believe now, but back then she was just a child. At that time, she showed the same fear when it was a storm outside. He comforted her, but he never forgot the fear in her eyes that night.

She closed her eyes before smiling slightly, "Remember the fight in the back alleyways?"

Snowe blinked before he too remembered what she was talking about. "You mean the one with the bandits? Of course!"

He remembered how they were playing an innocent game of hide and seek when the bandits came to kidnap him. Sakura and the others found him in time, but they were no match for the bandits. That was until Sakura got the brilliant idea of climbing on top of some barrels, and pushing them down the street causing the bandits to be caught. She broke an arm and sprained her ankle, but she only smiled. He remembered how furious Glen was with her, but how proud his father was that he had a "guardian". He only realized in age that it was a demeaning comment. Yet Snowe cared for Sakura during that time. In fact, that was when they became close friends.

Or is it now when they _were_ close friends?

Sakura let go of his wrist and nodded, "Do me a favor Snowe?"

"Of course."

"When I die…" She was already talking like this? Did she truly believe she wasn't coming back?

"…Please keep laying flowers on Glen's grave. Also, can you start an orphanage?"

"Orphanage?"

"Yes. None of the islands have one…I think it would be a good idea."

Snowe swallowed another lump in his throat to boost his bravery for what he was about to say, "…Then stay alive to see it through."

"What?"

He tightened his fists, "You said it would be a good idea, right? If you want it to be done, stay alive to see it through!"

Her eyes looked at him in shock. He too was surprised at his courage, but also embarrassed by it. So much that he turned his eyes to the floor.

Then a familiar hand touched his, "I can't make that promise Snowe."

He darted his head up to retort, but her gaze stopped him. Sakura's eyes looked calm and depressed at the same time. She then pulled his hand up in hers to look at it. "I've kept my promises before, but I can't grantee that one. This rune has been taking my life each time I use it. So far it has been four times, and that last one was the worst of them all. I honestly know that I won't survive a fifth."

She let go of his hand and looked back into his eyes, "I'll try, really I will. Elenor even doesn't want me to die. But I cannot see the future…"

* * *

Sakura ran onto the ship just as boulders of earth fell from the cliffs. She hadn't used the rune at all, not even to fight off Graham Cray. Now she just had to make it back to Obel without anything going wrong…

"The rune cannon is going to fire!"

She darted her gaze up to the cliff. Not good, they were still in its line of fire.

"We're not going to make it!"

"Keep trying!"

Sakura looked back to her crew and noticed Lino standing near her. She shouted out to him, "Lino! Your in charge!"

He heard her and watched her jump to the railing, "SAKURA!"

She raised her left hand just as Snowe turned to her, and the rune cannon fired.

A thousand screams and red light came from her rune; the rune cannon was stopped. She felt her life slipping and the rune was beginning to leave her. "No." She spoke to it, "I won't let you!" With the last of her strength, she pushed herself overboard.

She clearly heard everyone scream as she hit the water.


	3. Chapter 3

Island Nations. It was a name Sakura suggested to Lino, and it is the name of their government. Everyone knew it was Sakura who was the hero, but no one could thank her. The crew of the Peacemaker had long since left their posts, and back to their "normal" lives.

Snowe had started up the orphanage by Sakura's request. Ironically it was in his old home. Yet he was glad to take down those stupid portraits and burn them. Overjoyed when he used his stuffy clothes to make new clothes for the children. Depressed when it wasn't Sakura doing all this.

He searched with Tal and Kenneth, but they could not find Sakura's body. Not even her swords or clothes.

A memorial was held in that part of the ocean where Sakura jumped. Everyone threw cherry blossoms into that part of the sea. Still even after she was declared dead, Snowe searched for her. Only to stop when Katarina told him to start with the orphanage. This was the only thing he could do for Sakura.

"Snowe?"

"Yeah Sakura?"

"What was your mommy like?"

"I don't know, I don't remember her face."

"Me either! But…"

"What?"

"I can hear her voice."

"Voice? What does she say?"

"I don't know, all I hear is a voice."

"Well I remember my mom singing to me."

"Wow we're similar aren't we?"

"Yup!"

Memories of his childhood with Sakura came to him in brilliant remembrance. Times when he could definitely say were peaceful. Times he longed to have back. He remembered the day he first met Sakura. Snowe was four years old and Sakura was three. She was starring at everything with big eyes, so innocent. The one comical thing he remembered about then was she was jointed to Glen's leg.

"Sakura behave, and give Snowe a greeting."

She was scarred, and he of course was perplexed by her actions. Katarina calmly bent down to Sakura's level and pushed her out towards him. "Go on."

Sakura was scarred but Glen nodded in approval and she turned towards Snowe.

"I-I Sakura…Please meet you." She bowed slightly.

"Do you like to play solider?"

"S-solider?"

"Yep, me and some other kids are playing. Want to join us?"

"O-ok."

She stuttered so much as a child, only stopping after she turned eight. Around then was when the bandits tried to kidnap him. Sakura was someone he wouldn't consider to do something that dangerous back then. When he asked why, she simply smiled, "It was the only thing I could think of."

None of the other kids dared to help him, but Sakura did.

When he was 11 and she was 10, they met Kenneth at the docks. He had just moved to Razil because his father got a job with shipping. Sakura was the one who pushed them to be friends. Her reasoning was simple, "The more the merrier!"

Then came Jewel and Paula at 13 for her and 14 for him. At first those two would do nothing but fight. But they both agreed to not fight with Sakura around.

"Why do you fight?" Sakura asked them one day during a break of classes.

"We always have." Paula and Jewel answered.

"Whose we? You and Jewel, or Elves and Na-Nals?"

Both were doped, and since then stopped fighting all together.

Tal was the last of the group to join them when Sakura turned 15. Tal was joining into class one day and everyone seemed to like to laugh about him. He was a simple fisher boy, but Sakura was the one who told him to join the knights. She met him at the docks one day with Snowe;

"Excuse me mister?" She spoke out to Tal.

"Yes?"

"You have good strength, would you like to be a knight?"

Snowe was more in shock then Tal. Why would she go up to random people asking them to join in training?

"Hm, sounds fun. Where do I go to sign up?"

Tal's answer shocked him even more. Even then, Snowe though Tal and Sakura would be a good pair. Strangely enough, he still thought that.

Jealous.

Green-eyed monster.

Rage.

…Love.

Those were the things he felt towards Sakura. He only realized that he loved her when he found an old doll that one of the orphans found. It was the doll Sakura made for him as a child; a knight ready in armor of sticks.

Strange to realize he was in love by an old doll…

How he got the doll was by pure chance. When he was 10, he suffered from small pox. This made him so weak he couldn't go outside, and no one was allowed to visit him. One night, Sakura snuck into his room at night and left him the doll. Attached to it was a note that read, "For strength. Get well soon, Sakura."

While he was sick, he was in one of the highest rooms in his house, and there is only one window that is eight inches by twelve. Sakura must have gone through hell just to give him that doll, and he never thanked her. At night when he looked at the doll, he would burst into tears.

One day he walked down along the docks with the kids to pick up fish from Tal. It was routine, but he liked to do it himself. Tal was secretly looking for Sakura still, and Snowe always checked for news. Usually it was the same, nothing. Today he spoke about war in Falena, a country south of Obel.

"Here's a rumor I heard Snowe." Tal lowered his voice and Snowe bent down, "There's a true rune wielder in Falena helping the Prince. They say that this rune is the rune of punishment."

Snowe looked at him eyes wide, "Are you sure?"

"I heard the same story from ten mouths. All of which on the Falena docks."

"Are you going back there soon?"

"Yep. That's our next stop." Tal winked, "And the captain says its ok to come."

"Thanks Tal."


	4. Chapter 4

"Rune of Punishment wielder? I never heard such a thing!"

"Wasn't it Sakura's rune?"

"I know it's a true rune, but I thought it disappeared with Sakura."

The same thing repeated over and over. This was starting to seem like a wild goose chase. All he wanted to know if the rumors were true. So far he was getting nowhere.

Eventually he decided to go further inland; Tal said he would wait for him. He managed to get a ride going south from the port town. Supposedly in a town called Sable was where the stories came from. Upon entering the town, he heard steady whispers about the prince and his rebel army. How the Barrows family was slowly dying. Curiosity sparked an idea to find the prince. If Sakura was truly alive, obviously she would try to help him in some way. Asking around, he found that the base of operations was in a lake. He tracked down to that very lake.

"A-CHOO!"

Snowe jumped at the sudden sneeze and turned around when he heard someone call out his name, "You're Snowe!"

"Vivi?" He remembered seeing Sakura talk to this girl countless times about faster transportation.

"What brings you to Falena, Snowe?"

"I'm looking for the root of these rune rumors."

"Rumors? Oh! You mean about the captain!"

She knew something? "Do you-?"

"Come with me Snowe!" She reached her hand out towards his and snapped her fingers. Instantly they were transported inside of the prince's base. A few people jumped at the sight of a stranger. "No! No! No! It's ok everyone! This is a former crewmate of mine."

"Well if it isn't Snowe?" He heard a familiar chuckle and turned.

"Ah…Hello Jeanne."

"I assume you're here on the rumors?"

"Could one of you please explain who this person is?" A stern voice interrupted Vivi before she could even start. Looking up to the stairs he saw a young boy with white hair walk down towards them.

"Prince Frey…"

So he was the prince? Snowe was a little surprised by the prince being so young. Then again this was the same reaction around Sakura. Courage came over him as the prince came closer.

Snowe bowed, "My name is Snowe Vingerhut, and I was a crewmate of the Peacemaker."

He recognized a few Obel soldiers and the girl stepped forward, "The Peacemaker was the flag ship of the Suikoden. The group that saved our nation and formed it."

Frey looked at her, "Is that true, Bernadette?"

"Quite. The King of Obel served on that vessel, but it is the captain who is the strongest over our king."

"Sakura." Snowe breathed out her name, "She also owned a True Rune, the Rune of Punishment."

A woman in black cloaks came forward, "I assume this rune killed her?"

Snowe looked at her cruelly, "No one knows. The day that Sakura disappeared, she jumped into the water so that none of us would get the rune. We had assumed that because of that, no one could get the rune. Then I heard word of the Rune of Punishment being spotted here…"

"Is that sort of thing normal Zerase?" The prince turned toward the cloaked woman.

"The Rune of Punishment is said to always kill its host after a certain amount of time in use. Once that happens, the rune usually picks another host at random and the cycle continues." She paused for a moment, "…Perhaps in death the rune choose her as its only master?"

"Can that happen?" A young girl dressed in knight's clothes spoke from behind Frey.

"Yes Lyon. True Runes always search for the one person they believe can and will forever be their master." She turned to look at Snowe, "But if what you say is true about Sakura's death, and the rune's sudden return…something is terribly amiss."

Frey turned to look at Snowe and walked up towards him, "Would you like it if we help you?"

"You would your majesty?"

"I believe that it was this true rune that saved us from a ghastly surprise attack. Quite honestly, I want to thank whoever it is."

Another person dressed in knight's clothes spoke, "True. If it weren't for that rune, we would have been killed."

"Could you tell me if you heard screams and if it was a red light?"

The man looked at him, "Yes exactly!"

"That was the Rune of Punishment!"

* * *

She walked amongst the trees, reaching to each trunk as a guide. Careful with her step, she followed the caws of the crow above her. First her voice, now her sight, what's next? The rune was taking away everything.

She hears the pattering of horses and bends to the ground to find out where they're coming from.

Down a level.

She follows the crow down the path.

She feels the warmth of the sun.

She hears a voice she hasn't heard in a long time, "Sakura!"


End file.
